


sleeping with a friend

by kingiamesbible



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Crushes, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-09-13 05:18:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9108169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingiamesbible/pseuds/kingiamesbible
Summary: Mac just wants to spend some quality time with Charlie, but Dennis has other plans.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this was written as a secret santa gift for [adrianicsea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/adrianicsea/pseuds/adrianicsea) who u can find on tumblr [here](http://adrianicsea.tumblr.com/) and im also on tumblr [here](http://gxryking.tumblr.com/) :)
> 
> title taken from sleeping with a friend by neon trees

In a surprising turn of events, Charlie seemed to be considerably unbothered by the fact that that Dee was dating the Waitress. The day before she broke the news to him, she confessed to Mac that she was a little terrified of how he would react, fearing that he might start screaming and try to bite her head off or something. Instead he had simply said, “that’s cool, Dee, I’m happy for you both”, then got up from the barstool she had sat him on and went back to work. As far as Dee and Mac were concerned, that was the end of it, but Dennis seemed to think it was a great opportunity to make another attempt at winning Charlie’s friendship. He insisted on taking him out that evening to “pick up another girl who’ll help you forget all about her”, as he put it. Charlie made very little protest, but Mac took issue with the arrangement.  
  
“Charlie and I were going to watch the Back to the Future trilogy tonight,” he told Dennis, turning to give Charlie a brief did you forget? frown, to which Charlie just shrugged noncommittally.  
  
“Will you excuse us for a sec, Charlie?” Dennis sighed, and Charlie immediately scooted away. Mac was left at the mercy of Dennis’s narrowed eyed and pursed lips. He hated that look; it made him feel like Dennis was disappointed in him and it was incredibly patronising, but he would never dare say that to his face.  
  
“You knew tonight was our movie night, Den,” he said instead, trying not to sound like he was whining. He was quite annoyed, but he forced himself to remain within the realm of calm.  
  
“But Mac,” Dennis retorted, “Charlie is probably upset, and needs a little more distraction than your shitty 80s nostalgia trip.”  
  
Mac decided against making a comeback about the cinematic iconography of Back to the Future. That was a conversation for another time, he decided.  
  
“Shouldn’t you give him some time to process it by himself?” he suggested, glancing over to where Charlie was absentmindedly fiddling with the jukebox, still appearing not to care that much about anything that was going on around him.  
  
“No, you gotta strike while the iron is hot,” Dennis explained, “get him back out there quickly so she’s gone from his mind as soon as possible.”  
  
“I don’t know…”  
  
“Look, Mac, I know you and Charlie have that whole ‘special friendship’ thing going on,” Dennis said, making air quotes with his fingers. “But-”  
  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mac asked, frowning, swallowing the panic that rose in his throat.  
  
“I don’t know, your childhood bond thing,” Dennis explained, sounding exasperated, “you know how Charlie got crazy jealous when you started hanging out with me and basically snarled at anyone else who tried to be your friend?”  
  
“Oh, right,” Mac nodded, letting out a heavy breath.  
  
“That,” Dennis continued. “It’s super weird, it’s like the guy’s in love with you or something.”  
  
“He’s not gay,” Mac said quickly, chuckling nervously as if the notion was ridiculous. It was ridiculous. It was.  
  
“Whatever,” Dennis sighed, “he needs to get out more and meet new people, and this is the perfect time. You do care about him, don’t you?”  
  
“Wh-” Mac stumbled over his answer, “yeah, of course I do. He’s my buddy.”  
  
“Exactly,” Dennis said, grinning. He’d won. “So let me take him out.”  
  
Mac crumpled under Dennis’s gaze.  
  
“Okay,” he said meekly, shoving his hands in his pockets and mentally berating himself for not being more assertive.  
  
“Great,” Dennis smiled, giving Mac a friendly pat on the cheek like he did every time Mac gave in and let him have his way. Then he turned on his heel and went to tell Charlie the plan. Mac sighed.  
  
x  
  
After closing up the bar, Mac went home and decided to watch the movies by himself. He had considered asking Dee to join him, but he didn’t want to give her fuel to tease him. Besides, it turned out she was going out with the Waitress that evening anyway. She had told him soon after Charlie had followed Dennis out the door, giving Mac an apologetic grimace and a shrug, which only made Mac’s stomach turn with uncomfortable sadness. Barely an hour later, Dee left too, leaving Mac to deal with the last straggle of customers. Once they had all cleared off, he locked up and trudged home alone, walking into an empty apartment and helping himself to Dennis’s stash of microwave popcorn.  
  
Since he had nothing better to do with his evening, he took the bowl from the microwave and put the first movie on. As an afterthought, he returned to the kitchen to grab a couple of beers, then settled down to enjoy Marty McFly’s antics by himself. He knew Dennis would be mad at him for taking his popcorn and his beer, but if everything went to plan, he’d be too pissed to care whenever he got home.  
  
x  
  
The phone rang during the hoverboard chase scene. Mac almost didn’t pick it up, but he didn’t really fancy getting an earful from Dennis about ignoring calls, so he paused the movie and pulled the phone to his ear.  
  
“Mac? It’s Charlie,” came the voice from the other end. Any trace of annoyance rushed out of Mac upon hearing him.  
  
“Hey bro, what’s up?” he asked, trying not to let any concern or enthusiasm peek into his voice.  
  
“Nothing, it’s just that Dennis kinda ditched me at this club to do his own thing,” Charlie explained, and Mac rolled his eyes, “and I was wondering if you still wanted to, like, hang out or whatever.”  
  
Mac grinned widely, glad that no one was there to see him looking so eager and idiotic.  
  
“Sure man,” he answered. “I’m halfway through the second movie but there are some beers left in the fridge.”  
  
“Sweet. I’ll be right over.”  
  
For a few seconds after the dial tone sounded, Mac kept the phone clutched to his ear. He was smiling like an absolute fool, glad that Charlie had ultimately chosen him over Dennis, but really just happy that they would finally get to spend some time together, just the two of them, after all. They so rarely did anymore; some scheme or other always got in the way. Mac looked forward to having a little time alone with Charlie. He got up to pinch two more beer bottles, deciding to ignore how his heart had begun to thrum a little faster.  
  
x  
  
Within seconds of Charlie arriving at Dennis and Mac’s apartment, the two of them had already slid off the sofa onto the floor and ordered their weight in fast food, bantering back and forth about whatever stupid, mundane shit came to mind and barely paying any attention to the movie at all. Charlie was already fairly pissed from drinking at whatever club Dennis took him too, and Mac was beginning to feel a light buzz as well.  
  
“I don’t even know why Dennis is so determined to get me a girlfriend, dude,” Charlie slurred somewhere in the middle of the third movie, the liquid in his bottle sloshing around as he waved his hand at Mac.  
  
“He wants you to be happy man,” Mac shrugged, staring straight ahead at the fuzzy screen rather than Charlie. “He thinks you should forget about the Waitress and the only way to do that is to get you laid.”  
  
“But that’s so,” Charlie giggled, falling against Mac’s shoulder, “that’s so fuckin’ dumb. I’m not mad about her dating Dee. I’m really happy as long as they’re happy.”  
  
It was getting increasingly harder to ignore Charlie’s close proximity. He had thrown his arm across Mac’s waist, and was absentmindedly pulling at the hem of his shirt, his fingers occasionally brushing Mac’s skin.  
  
“Well that’s-that’s, uh, very noble of you, dude,” Mac stammered, hoping that Charlie’s vision was as blurry as his so he wouldn’t see his cheeks going pink. “But still, d-don’t you wanna get laid?”  
  
“Not really,” Charlie answered sincerely, “sex is weird. Dunno if I like it that much, t’be honest.”  
  
“You might enjoy it, if-if you found the right person,” Mac suggested, swallowing hard as Charlie continued to cuddle up to him. Unfortunately, he was the perfect height to bury his face in Mac’s neck, and the feel of Charlie’s breath fanning over him was making him squirm.  
  
“S’true,” Charlie mumbled. “I don’t even really know how to kiss properly. I just go all stiff, and usually end up getting pushed off.”  
  
He laughed, but Mac was growing warmer by the second. An idea was forming in his mind, and it was a horrible one, but it might be his only chance.  
  
“Let me show you how to do it properly, bro,” he blurted before he could stop himself. Charlie turned his head to squint at him, a lopsided smile on his face.  
  
“S'kinda gay, isn’t’t?” he asked, his grin remaining firmly plastered in place.  
  
“No way, dude,” Mac insisted, forcing himself to keep Charlie’s gaze. “I’m being a good buddy and teaching you how to score with the ladies. That’s what bros do, right, they help each other?”  
  
“M’kay then,” Charlie shrugged, taking his arm off Mac’s middle and shuffling back slightly so he was facing his friend. “Teach me how to kiss properly.”  
  
Ignoring the pounding of his heart was impossible. His whole face and neck were burning, but Mac took a deep breath and placed one hand on Charlie’s cheek, feeling him lean into it ever so slightly. Then, before he could think to regret his decision, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to Charlie’s. As he’d said, Charlie immediately stiffened, so Mac pulled back and sighed at his friend’s screwed up face.  
  
“You have to relax, dude,” he said, putting his other hand on Charlie’s other cheek and meeting his eyes again. “Don’t purse your lips."  
  
“Gotcha,” Charlie said, slightly breathless, gazing at Mac with wide eyes.  
  
With a nod, Mac closed the gap again, more carefully this time, barely brushing Charlie’s lips until he felt him relax and push forward slightly. Once Charlie seemed to be comfortable, Mac tried kissing him properly, moving his mouth slowly. Charlie caught on fairly quickly and shifted to match Mac’s movements, his hand finding it’s way back to Mac’s hip.  
  
After a few seconds, they moved apart just slightly, their foreheads brushing in the tiny space between them. They met eyes, both breathing heavily, not taking their hands off each other. Then, without a word, Charlie pulled himself closer to Mac by his shirt and kissed him again, slightly harder and slightly more urgent. Mac responded in kind, pressing himself as close to Charlie as possible.  
  
He lost all track of time. At that moment, he could only think about Charlie. Charlie’s mouth moving against his, Charlie’s hands groping around his hips and thighs, the occasional low whining sounds he was making which were driving Mac wild. The warmth in his stomach from the alcohol, plus the sensation of kissing his best friend was so overwhelming that he thought he might black out. They stayed there, on Mac’s living room floor, making out until well after the credits had rolled.  
  
Eventually, they were interrupted by the doorbell ringing, which made them both jump and spring apart. For a moment they both looked startled, but quickly dissolved into slightly nervous, very inebriated giggles.  
  
“Food’s here,” Mac said, using the sofa to help prise himself off the floor. “I’ll be right back.”  
  
He felt Charlie’s gaze on him all the time as he opened the door, paid the delivery girl, and returned to his position on the floor, bearing numerous boxes. For the next hour or so, they ate and bickered playfully about who gets how much of what and so on, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Mac supposed it was the copious amount of beer talking, but somehow it felt as if this had been inevitable. He’d caught himself thinking about Charlie in a less-than-platonic way a couple of times in the past few months, and he’d even gone so far as to consult Dee for help. She had groaned and told him to “just suck the kid’s dick before we all grow old and die”, and while Mac didn’t plan to follow her advice to the letter, he thought her sentiment was clear. While he still hadn’t come to terms with his own sexuality and all the issues it implied, he decided he wanted to do something about the tension with Charlie. He hoped that Charlie’s reciprocation wasn’t solely due to the booze. Judging by Charlie’s dozy grin and his inability to keep his hands off Mac for very long, there was genuine returned feeling though.  
  
x  
  
“I should get home soon,” Charlie piped up once they’d eaten their fill and made out some more, this time on the kitchen floor while on a mission for more beer.  
  
“No, dude, it’s like, 3am,” Mac laughed, taking Charlie’s hand to stop him getting up. “Stay here.”  
  
Charlie didn’t require a lot of convincing. He took one of Mac’s old shirts and went into the bathroom to take his binder off and change, before padding back in his boxers and the shirt and crawling under the covers with Mac. They lay still, gazing at each other while the effects of the drink slowly wore away.  
  
“You know all that stuff you were saying earlier,” Charlie murmured, tucking a strand of loose hair behind Mac’s ear, “about the right person.”  
  
“Yeah,” Mac said, relishing the feel of Charlie’s fingers in his hair.  
  
“Well,” Charlie went on, “I still don’t know if I want to have sex, but ever since we met I’ve felt as if we have, like, a connection or something. You’ve always sort of been my right person.”  
  
“Yeah?” Mac asked, feeling warmth blossom in his chest.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Instead of saying anything else, Mac found Charlie’s hand and squeezed it tight, then shuffled forward and gave him a quick kiss.  
  
“Thanks for coming tonight,” he said quietly, rubbing his thumb over Charlie’s knuckles.  
  
“I’m glad I did,” Charlie replied, yawning.  
  
“Goodnight Charlie,” Mac whispered, smiling.  
  
“G’night Mac,” Charlie answered.  
  
They fell asleep together.

**Author's Note:**

> happy christmas ade! <3


End file.
